CRAWFORD.— Port Nicholson a Freshwater Lake. ` 991 
locality higher than a height of about fifteen feet above the sea. To this I 
replied in the negative. ; 
Cogitating over these matters, I have come to the conclusion that the 
probabilities are that the land in this neighbourhood was never, since the older 
rocks were elevated, at a lower level than about fifteen feet below that at 
which it stands at present, and that at some time, probably during the 
depression of the tertiaries, it attained a great elevation, possibly equal to the 
present extreme altitude of Tararua, viz., 5,000 to 6,000 feet, perhaps higher. 
At this time it is reasonable to suppose that Cook Strait did not exist, and 
that the islands were united. 
If we follow up the main chains of Tararua and Ruahine to the northward 
we find a gradual rise of the tertiary beds which rest on the flanks of these 
mountains, attaining, at the Manawatu, a height of between 400 and 500 feet, 
and in the vicinity of the Kaimanawa range a height of 2,700 feet. 
These rocks extend.from eocene to pliocene, and many changes of level no 
doubt occurred during their deposition, but while in course of formation they 
must have been beneath the sea. 
My supposition is, that previous to the time when they were in course of 
formation there was an oscilatory movement which depressed the more 
northern rocks and raised those in this vicinity ; while, at the time when these 
tertiaries were raised above the sea level, the movement was in an opposite 
direction, the whole of the west coast tertiaries emerged and were raised at 
their northern limit to a great elevation, while the land in this neighbourhood 
was depressed until it sunk below its present level, and probably at the same 
time Cook Strait was formed and the islands separated. 
I have formerly remarked on the various terraces which may be observed 
on the coast towards Terawiti, and have supposed them to mark old beaches, 
showing lines of rise of the land. As I think no remains of marine origin 
have been found in them, I now suggest that they mark the banks and various 
levels of an ancient river, the other bank having disappeared in the waters of 
‘the Strait. With a supposed high elevation and greater mass of land, we may 
suppose a larger river or rivers than any which we now possess in this 
vicinity, and some things may thus be accounted for which are difficult of 
explanation otherwise. Thus, if we consider the boulder and gravel 
formation which forms the isthmus between Evans and Lyall Bays, and on 
which the sand-hills are a mere excrescence, it is difficult at first sight to ` 
perceive where the boulders came from. No boulders or gravel are now 
washed up on either shore, and it is not perceptible why, if the land stood ata 
lower level of fifteen feet, boulders should then be thrown up. Still less 
could they be thrown up if the land stood at a higher elevation than it does at 
present. 
